What research is being done for colds?

Answer 1

One of the most promising current studies involves finding a universal vaccine for influenza that will perhaps finally lead to development of vaccines for the common cold. There are currently no vaccines to prevent infections with the cold viruses. There are over 200 different types of cold viruses that cause a cold. Each of those can mutate over and over and become unable to be prevented by vaccines by making little constant changes to the proteins on the capsid (coat) of the virion (virus particle).

When the influenza virus mutates to change the protein on the capsid, the prior vaccines made will be ineffective if the change is significant enough. Flu viruses mutate often and quickly. Cold viruses mutate even more rapidly and often make big changes. This keeps us from being able to develop cold vaccines since we would need one for nearly every newly mutated cold virus and vaccines can not be developed quickly enough before the virus will have mutated again.

The new promising approach under study (with human trials already in process) is being first attempted with flu vaccines. Instead of forcing our immune systems to build antibodies against the flu after each of these changes and having to develop and introduce new vaccines each time, the new vaccine will work on the stem of the protein instead of on the capsid to prevent infections. The stem does not change when the capsids do. So, if a vaccine can be developed to work on the stems instead of on the capsid, a new vaccine would not be needed for every different virus or mutation.

If it works for flu with successful human trials, the next steps will be to do the same for the common cold and other viruses that mutate this way. It is predicted that a "universal vaccine" for influenza will be available and on the market in maybe around 10 years. It is a slow process to take a concept to production and distribution of a new medicine, but there is much promise for this approach.